Honor in America Response - by Honor in Blue CEO Brian T Deegan

Released to Press - 09/25/17

I have been asked by several members of press to comment on the recent flare up over professional football players kneeling during our nation's national anthem. We have also been asked to explain the viral spread through social media of our Honor in America Watch. I will sum both of these things briefly during this response. We respect all citizen's right to protest what they feel is needed to protest. We understand that people have a right to protest. We feel though that the media and some liberal outlets are misunderstanding the whole issue. Football players have every right to stand up for what they believe.

I would ask, though, whether during the national anthem is the appropriate time. Every American has a right to protest. But would they protest during a funeral? Would they try to push their protest and message during someone's funeral? Obviously, the answer is no they wouldn't. I have read several well written pieces on the core of the protest by players, the timing of it and the fact that there is an incredible audience that tunes into a professional football game. Then why not choose another time of the game to protest?

As a nation some of our citizens have lost touch with the emotional magnitude of the National Anthem and what it means for our people, our heroes and all that give all they have to be Americans. Loving your country and standing up for it means something. It is not rational, it is not a First Amendment Dissertation like some scholars have argued. It is emotional. It is a small window of time to honor the sacrifices of so many. Why pick that small amount of time? It is the same as protesting during a funeral. You would not protest during that time because a funeral is emotional, it is sacred. Some people in our country have lost their way on things that are sacred, times that are sacred, things that are sacred.

Getting back to why our watches have gone viral is part of what I just spoke about. The puppet heads from these groups, the Hollywood elite, the sports elite are missing the mark with what small town America is feeling, thinking and absorbing. Small town America sees these people as missing the main point in this thing. It is not about someone's right to protest. It is about the timing of the protest. These players that are protesting are using a sacred, emotional time that is greater than all of us as individuals. During that time we, as Americans, do not care about issues in this country or which political party you support, or your feelings about our President. Rather, we Americans feel that we stand up and honor this great country for all the sacrifices that all Americans make, especially our Heroes. Our Honor in America Watch is simple and it has been an emotional purchase by Americans who want to wear something to show others that they still value what is sacred in our country. We don't need groups or people telling us what is acceptable or allowed. Kneeling during our Nation's National Anthem is wrong, it is not the correct time to display a message to others and it is an emotional time of connection to millions of people who see the time as sacred. I would poll America and you will see that the vast majority of Americans do not like it when someone disrupts our National Anthem. It is not the correct time to try to get a message out there in protest. There are other ways and times to do that peacefully.